A deep-water fish, previously with little renown in China, is emerging as a leading replacement species as the country’s annual moratorium on fishing its domestic waters takes hold.
Imports of the orange roughy (Hoplostethus atlanticus) are up 30 percent year-on-year into Ningbo, a major east coast port which handles much of China’s imports of frozen seafood. The ban between May and September closes off supply of traditionally popular domestic species, creating demand for imports.
Roughy from Spain and cod from New Zealand are proving very popular among consumers, according to Wang Wei Shui, deputy head of the Ningbo Wholesale Seafood market, which is operated by the state-run Ningbo Shang Mao Trading Group. He also singled out salmon as an increasingly in-demand replacement species for higher-grade local favorites like silver pomfret which in March averaged CNY 110.14 (USD 15.93, EUR 14.28) per kilogram at the Ningbo market, making it one of the most expensive fishes sold.
Brick-red in color imported roughy fish (whose Mandarin appellation “chang shou” means long life) is selling on JD.com at CNY 99.00 (USD 14.32, EUR 12.83) per kilo.
Also known as the red roughy and deep-sea perch, the deep-sea orange roughy may increase further in demand in China as the country seeks replacements for depleted stocks of household favorites like croaker, pomfret, and ribbonfish – three of what are considered the “big eight” species. Other species among the eight are squid and carp.
